Jeddah Meeting Issues 16 Recommendations, Sudan Calls for Non-Interference

Sudan's representative, Ambassador Ilham Ibrahim, at the emergency meeting in Jeddah (SPA)
Sudan's representative, Ambassador Ilham Ibrahim, at the emergency meeting in Jeddah (SPA)
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Jeddah Meeting Issues 16 Recommendations, Sudan Calls for Non-Interference

Sudan's representative, Ambassador Ilham Ibrahim, at the emergency meeting in Jeddah (SPA)
Sudan's representative, Ambassador Ilham Ibrahim, at the emergency meeting in Jeddah (SPA)

Saudi Arabia held an emergency meeting in Jeddah on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and discussed the developments in Sudan.

The meeting, attended by permanent delegates, issued 16 recommendations stressing the need to maintain Sudan's security and stability, respect its unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The closing statement expressed deep regret at the outbreak of armed clashes in Sudan, calling for a commitment to the humanitarian truce agreed upon to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Interlocutors also called for an immediate cessation of military escalation and prioritizing the national interest to preserve the capabilities and gains of the Sudanese people, requesting that all parties allow dialogue to prevail and embrace self-restraint and wisdom.

The OIC urged all parties to return to the negotiation table as soon as possible to resolve the Sudanese crisis in order to preserve the unity of Sudan and its state institutions and meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people for political and economic stability.

The statement lauded the efforts of Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as chair of the Islamic Summit, and its good offices and engagements with Sudanese brothers and regional parties to reach an immediate and lasting ceasefire and return to the path of peace to preserve Sudan's unity.

It also hailed the Saudi evacuation of international citizens and diplomatic missions from Sudan, providing for all their needs.

It commended the endeavors of Türkiye at the highest level to induce the respective parties in Sudan to exercise restraint, declare an immediate ceasefire, and return to dialogue.

Continued violence in Sudan will have negative implications for security and regional peace, which is part and parcel of international security, read the statement, stressing that the conflict is an internal matter.

It warned against external interference, whatever its nature or source, stressing the need to return to political dialogue.

The Sudanese government called the international community to "not interfere" in the military conflict.

At the meeting, Sudan's representative, Ambassador Ilham Ibrahim, asserted that the matter is an internal affair and should be left to the Sudanese to achieve the required settlement.

Ibrahim lauded the efforts of the brotherly and friendly Arab and African countries and the regional and international community to help calm the situation in the country.

She explained that the Sudanese National Armed Forces, as an official state institution, should not be equated with the rebel Rapid Support Forces seizing power through illegal means.

In turn, the OIC Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, confirmed that the organization would act on the recommendations of member states and use all possibilities to contribute to efforts to stop the fighting, advance the peaceful path, and provide the necessary humanitarian assistance, including the option of sending a high-level delegation to Sudan at the appropriate time.

Taha praised the Saudi initiative for an emergency meeting. He said it comes as part of the Kingdom's efforts with the concerned parties in Sudan and regional and international actors aiming to reach peaceful solutions to this crisis, based on the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

For his part, Saudi Permanent Representative to the OIC, Saleh al-Suhaibani, said that through this meeting, Saudi Arabia renewed its calls for Sudanese parties to de-escalate the situation and prioritize the language of dialogue and national reconciliation.

The Kingdom reiterated its call for halting all forms of escalation to preserve the resources of the Sudanese people and their gains and to unify the ranks in a way that helps resume the previously achieved consensus.

"Such consensus includes the framework agreement that aims to achieve political and security stability and ensure economic recovery and prosperity of Sudan and its brotherly people," Suhaibani affirmed.

Suhaibani welcomed the implementation of the truce, the extension of the ceasefire, and the provision of safe humanitarian corridors.

He pointed out that the Kingdom continues, with great interest, to play a significant diplomatic and humanitarian role in this crisis.

It is reflected in various humanitarian and diplomatic initiatives for sea and air evacuations of nationals of Arab, Islamic, and friendly countries and staff of many diplomatic missions, officials, and workers in international and regional organizations.

Saudi Arabia has so far evacuated close to 6,000 individuals of 100 different nationalities worldwide.

He stated that "what is happening in brotherly Sudan, and what happened previously in some Islamic countries that are members of this ancient organization, OIC, requires us to think carefully and strive seriously towards developing practical mechanisms for mediation during conflicts."

Suhaibani pointed out that such crises require activating preventive diplomacy aimed at avoiding the emergence of conflicts and anticipating resolving them through diplomatic means to prevent disputes from escalating into conflicts and defusing them within the framework of the comprehensive reform of the OIC.

He noted that this would allow the organization to confront these challenges efficiently and effectively.



Taiwan’s Representative to Saudi Arabia: 260,000 Pagers Exported in Two Years

Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Taiwan’s Representative to Saudi Arabia: 260,000 Pagers Exported in Two Years

Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Taiwan is investigating who is responsible for modifying the pagers that were turned into explosives in the hands of the Lebanese people, including members of Hezbollah.

Taiwan’s representative to Saudi Arabia Samee Chang told Asharq Al-Awsat that 260,000 pagers were exported from his country between 2022 and 2024, and 16 percent of them were sent to the United States and Europe.

He expressed his regret that the pagers were planted with explosives that were used in the attack in Lebanon last month, clarifying that the devices were not directly exported from Taiwan to Lebanon.

He explained that the components of the device are made of material that is not liable to explode.

Apollo Gold, the Taiwanese company that exported the pagers between 2022 and 2024, has never received any complaints that its devices have caused harm or exploded.

The attack in Lebanon has raised several questions and they are being probed by authorities in Taiwan, he went on to say.

One thing is for certain, the devices were not harmful in the shape they were exported from the country, stressed Chang.

Asked about whether the attack may harm Taiwan’s economy, he replied that his country’s industry sector has a strong reputation that will be difficult to undermine given the trust it has from clients.

The size of the sector and Taiwan’s investments cannot be measured by a small number of pagers, as they only make up a mere fraction in the country’s trade relations with countries all over the world, he stressed.

Separately, Chang revealed that Taiwan was considering cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the chip industry, saying he was optimistic over the broad potential for cooperation in the technology sector.

There are no limits to the cooperation between them, he added.

Taiwan constantly wants to maintain the relations and discuss opportunities for joint investments, he stated.

Taiwan was among the first countries to leap to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in all fields to help the Kingdom achieve its Vision 2030 that is spearheaded by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Chang said.